Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Out of Step

Syria is "out of step" with growing desire for democracy in the Middle East. International resolve is firm that Syria must no longer hold political and military control over its smaller neighbor, Rice said Tuesday.

That's Israel's job, she didn't have to add.

Rice said the Lebanese must be allowed to choose their own political future in elections this spring. That choice must be independent of "contaminating influences," she said, underscoring a joint U.S.-French statement on Tuesday and a United Nations resolution last fall.

"I think it's one of the strongest statements in a long time about what needs to happen in Lebanon," Rice said.

At a news conference with French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, Rice said their two countries would support the scheduled election in Lebanon, perhaps by sending observers and monitors.

As I've said before, the CIA World Factbook indicates that Lebanon has been a fairly democratic place in recent years, in spite of (or because of?) the Syrian presence:

Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country.

Basically, Syria and Iran are on neoCondi's hit list, and anything, true or not, related or not, can and will be used as an excuse to attack these countries. It happened in Iraq (and Afghanistan and Haiti and Panama etc. etc. etc.). Rice, Bush, Rummy, Cheney, Wolfowitz and the rest of these criminals will say and do anything to get their way.